1

Displaced Populations Report

Major Findings

By mid-2007, the IDP population in the CEA region is estimated to be 8,891,438 people, compared to 9,982,921 IDPs registered at the end of 20061. Djibouti, Tanzania and Rwanda maintained the status of officially having no IDPs, save for temporary displacements as result of climatic conditions like flooding. In Kenya and Ethiopia there are no official published re-ports on the status or statistics of IDPs hence the estimated range of figures. New displacements as a result of ethnic conflicts were how-

J a n u a r y – J u n e 2 0 0 7 , I S S U E 1 United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

OCHA Regional Office for Central and East Africa

ever noted in both countries during the first half of 20072.

The IDP dynamics in 2007 repre-sent a mixed trend of both new large scale displacements and large returnee operations3. An esti-mated 1,680,214 returnees were recorded in several parts of the region by mid 20074. Conversely,

cross-border raids and displace-ments from Darfur in early 2007 resulted in new displacements of over 65,000 in CAR and 59,973 in Chad. Of the current 2.2 million IDPs in Darfur, 248,414 are new displacements since January 2007.

December 2006 → Mid-year 2007: Change in IDP and Refugee Numbers

1 According to the 2006 IDMC Global Survey Report, Kenya had a protracted estimate of 85,000-431,000 IDPs, while the estimate for Ethiopia ranged between

100,000-280,000 IDPs at the end of 2006. In 2007, the current estimates indicate a range of between 250,000-365,000 IDPs for Kenya and 100,000-280,000 IDPs in

Ethiopia. In calculating the total IDP statistics for the region, the upper range for these countries has been employed.

2 An additional 70,000 new displacements were recorded in Mt. Elgon District of Kenya in 2007, while the estimated operational figure for humanitarian actors in

Ethiopia remains at 200,000 IDPs in 2007. The displacement situation in Ogaden region remains unknown .

3 Four IDP Repatriation Programmes to South Sudan were initiated by UNHCR in early 2007, i.e. from Northern Sudan to Southern Sudan; from South Darfur to North-

ern Bahr El-Ghazal State; from Wau County (Western Bahr el-Ghazal State) to Warrap State and to Lakes State; and from the Equatoria states to Jonglei State as well as

within the Equatoria states.

4 Sudan-1,325,535; Uganda-200,000; Burundi-10,000; DRC-21,979; Eritrea-31,000; RoC-92,200

5 UNHCR 2007 Global Survey Report

The refugee situation has seen a slight increase of about 64,472 refugees recorded mostly in Su-dan, following influxes from Chad and Eritrea. By June 2007, there were an estimated 2,031,791 refu-gees in the region compared to 1,967,319 refugees recorded by UNHCR at the end of December 20065.

In addition to on-going armed con-flict, generalised insecurity and States’ incapacity to handle human rights violations by both state and non-state actors, extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts have been responsible for temporary displacements in sev-eral parts of the CEA region.

Challenges to accurate IDP Track-ing in the region include increased levels of insecurity hence poor or no access to affected populations, lack of acknowledgement by gov-ernments of the presence of IDPs on their territory hence poor or no monitoring, in addition to the com-plications created by the temporary nature of some of the displace-ments.

2

Data sources

This report contains updated infor-

mation and numbers on displaced

persons, including refugees and

IDPs in the Central and East Afri-

can Region7,8

.

Displaced population numbers are

estimates based from field report-

ing and are the best working fig-

ures available.

Information and data in this report

are compiled from United Nations

agencies, Internal Displacement

Monitoring Centre (IDMC), non-

governmental organisations

(NGOs), the Red Cross family,

governments and local authorities.

Refugee numbers are taken from

governments, OCHA Country Of-

fices and the UNHCR Global Re-

port 2006.

Unlike refugees who enjoy inter-

national recognition within a well

defined refugee protection frame-

work, IDP protection is solely a

government domain with interna-

tional humanitarian actors only

coming in at the invitation of host

governments. IDP figures there-

fore tend to be rough estimates

obtained through UN agencies,

and some represent agency spe-

cific populations of concern.

Based on the findings in this report, approximately 10.8 million of the es-timated 26 million IDPs globally are located in Africa

6. An estimated 70-

80 per cent of these are women and children. The report further identifies the displacement situations in Cen-tral African Republic, Chad, Democ-ratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda as among the ones with serious hu-manitarian concerns globally. The IDP statistics represent persons up-rooted by both political tensions, vio-lent conflict and other forms of per-secution within their borders, suc-cessive droughts, floods, and other climate-related events.

6 Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), ‘Internal Displacement: Global Overview of Trends and Developments in 2006’, April 2007. www.internal-

displacement.org.

7 Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi, Republic of

Congo, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda combining the Great Lakes, Greater Horn of Africa and Chad/CAR sub-regions.

8 This report is a departure from previous editions of the Affected Populations Reports produced by OCHA, as it shifts focus from a detailed country by country report

to a regional trends analysis, represented largely through maps and statistical data.

Population displacements in the Central and East African Region

OCHA Regional Office for Central and East Africa

Total IDPs and Refugees in CEA: December 2006 and Mid-year 2007

0 1,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000 4,000,000 5,000,000 6,000,000

Uganda

Tanzania

Sudan

Somalia

Rwanda

RoC

Kenya

Ethiopia

Eritrea

DRC

Djibouti

Chad

CAR

Burundi

Mid-year 2007

Dec-06

No official IDPs

No official IDPs

No official IDPs

500,000 250,000 0

REFUGEES INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSON AS

NOTE: refugee number scale isdouble the IDP scale to better displaynumber range. See attached mapand tables for sources and exactfigures, with footnotes. Ethiopia andKenya numbers were reported as arange, in this case the largest numberis displayed.

A view of Omiya-Anyima IDP camp, northern Uganda, 17 May 2007. Since only some camps are

eligible to receive official humanitarian assistance, tens of thousands of IDPs in camps in

Uganda receive little or no assistance. © Manoocher Deghati/IRIN

NOTE: Refugee number scale is double the IDP scale to

better display number range. See attached map and

tables for sources and exact figures, with footnotes.

Ethiopia and Kenya numbers were reported as a range,

in this case the largest number is displayed.

3

Despite new and protracted internal

displacement in several CEA coun-

tries, there has been significant re-

turn and resettlement of IDPs and

refugees in the region.

Of the 5.79 million IDPs registered in

Sudan at the end of 2006, an esti-

mated 1,325,235 IDPs were being

assisted by UNHCR21

and approxi-mately 55,080 persons were re-

turned to South Sudan between

January and end of June 2007. The

absence of social infrastructure and

services in the areas of return, im-

passable roads as a result of rains

and the presence of landmines along

return roads, are but some of the

impediments to effective relocation

in Southern Sudan.

Similar concerns have been raised in

Eritrea, where the government man-

aged to resettle over 20,892 IDPs

initially hosted in camps in Gash

Barka region. An estimated 12,000

IDPs remain in camps in Zoba De-

bub region. IDP returns are however

threatened by lack of access to wa-

ter, food, sustainable livelihoods and

host communities therefore need

support with the provision of these

basic social services.

In Northern Uganda, the return proc-

ess from IDP camps to new settle-

ment transit sites or places of origin

has contributed substantially to the

overall trend in returns. According to

OCHA Uganda, an estimated

400,000 IDPs have been relocated

to the new IDP sites. Lack of basic

services and social facilities have

however hindered effective resettle-

ment at the new sites. Inadequate

water supplies, land ownership dis-

putes coupled with continued inci-

dents of insecurity have adversely

affected IDPs’ opportunity and moti-

vation to return.

Lack of access to land remains a key

obstacle to any efforts made towards

the resettlement of displaced popula-

tions in Rwanda, Burundi and Tan-

zania. High population density in

Rwanda and Burundi hinder effective

resettlement of both IDPs and re-

turning refugee populations. The on-

going expulsions of illegal immi-

Return and Resettlement

Highlights

OCHA Regional Office for Central and East Africa

INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPs)

COUNTRY Dec 2006 9 Mid-year

2007 10 General Trends (Increase/Decrease)

Burundi 110,000 100,000 Decrease: Slow IDP return due to lack of

sufficient land to settle the returnees.

CAR 147,000 212,000

Increase due to rebel activity, banditry and

government counter-insurgency during the

1st quarter of 2007.

Chad 112,686 172,659 11

Increase due to inter-ethnic violence and

cross border attacks from Darfur and CAR

in early 2007.

Djibouti No official IDPs

DRC 1,100,000 1,121,979 Increase due to the conflict and insecurity

in the Kivus.

Eritrea 43,000 12,000 12 Significant decrease due to government

promoted returnee programmes.

Ethiopia

Unconfirmed

estimates 100,000-

280,000

Working

assumption 200,000-

300,00013

Issue politically sensitive and actual scale

of displacement un-published

Kenya

Protracted

estimates

250,000 –

300,000 14

Unconfirmed

250,000-

365,000 15

No official assessment to confirm current

IDP population 16

RoC

100,000

7,800

No systematic assessment of the number

of IDPs has been undertaken in RoC.

However, the government estimates that

there are still 7,800 people unable to re-

turn to their homes, down from 800,000 at

the peak of the disturbances in the 1990s 17.

Rwanda No official IDPs

Somalia 400,000 735,000 18 Increase by 335,000 new IDPs following

the conflict in Mogadishu in early 2007

Sudan 5,790,235 4,465,000 19 Decrease due to increased repatriations

to the South. (Over 2 million IDPs regis-

tered in Darfur alone)

Tanzania No official IDPs

Uganda 1,600,000 1,400,000 20 Decrease due to IDP returns after peace

talks between Gov. of Uganda and LRA.

TOTALS

9,752,921-

9,982,921

8,676,438-

8,891,438

Mixed large scale displacements countered

by large returnee programmes in the region

hence decrease. Trend however worrying

as the time frame for 2007 is only mid-2007.

9 UNHCR 2006 Global Report

10 OCHA 2007 Mid Year Review Report, unless where specifically stated

11 OCHA Chad, June 2007

12 UNICEF Survey April/May 2007

13 UNHCR Ethiopia, 2007

14 OCHA Kenya, August 2007

15 OCHA Kenya, August 2007 - This range includes more recent but also un-assessed displacement in Mt.

Elgon, Molo and Tana River Districts in early 2007.

16 No comprehensive assessment of internal displacement has been done. The most recent published as-

sessments were done in October 2003 for northern pastoral areas and in 2002 for central highlands and

coastal areas. The results of a government survey in the central and coastal regions carried out in 2006 have

not been published.

17 (IDMC Report-18 April, 2007).

18 OCHA Somalia, June 2007

19 OCHA Sudan Mid Year Review 2007

20 OCHA Kampala: 1,000,000 in IDP camps and 400,000 in new transit sites closer to their homesteads.

21 UNHCR 2006 Global Trends: Refugees, Asylum-seekers, Returnees, Internally Displaced and Stateless

Persons.

4

OCHA Regional Office for Central and East Africa

grants from Tanzania has further aggravated

the situation in both Burundi and Rwanda, as

majority of the returnees are currently living in

transit centres due to lack of addresses or land

to repatriate back to. Assistance to cases of

expulsion continues to be hampered by logisti-

cal challenges and insufficient financial re-

sources. An estimated 20,000 Burundians and

over 60,000 Rwandans who have been living

illegally in Tanzania have been targeted for ex-

pulsion by the end of 2007.

UNHCR returnee operations in Ethiopia led to

the repatriation of over 16,400 persons as at

end of May. The operations are however ham-

pered by heavy rains hindering transfer and

access to places of origin. Similar problems

were reported in the repatriation programme for

Kenya that had recorded a slow return of about

5,300 in 2007.

REFUGEES

COUNTRY Dec 2006 22 June 2007 23 General Trends (Increase/ Decrease)

Burundi 20,300 23,215 Slow increase due to influx from DRC in early 2007

CAR 12,357 8,667 Decrease as repatriation of Southern Sudanese is completed

Chad 286,743 282,834 Slight decrease attributed to irregular pastoralist movements across the border with Sudan

Djibouti 6,332 6,457 Slight increase due to influx from Somalia (South, Central and Somaliland) and Ethiopia

in 2007

DRC 208,300 197,232 Decrease due to repatriation of Sudanese, Congolese and Angolan refugees

Eritrea 4.625 4,667 Slight increase due to influx from Somalia in 2007

Ethiopia 96,980 81,274 Decrease due to both voluntary and assisted repatriations especially to Southern Sudan

Kenya 272,531 269,196 Decrease due to repatriations both voluntary and assisted to Southern Sudan

RoC 55,788 49,181 Decrease due to repatriations to DRC

Rwanda 49,192 46,600 Decrease due to UNHCR assisted repatriations

Somalia 669 669 Current figures represent UNHCR assisted refugees at beginning of 2007. Updated fig-

ures not confirmed due to recent conflict and re-displacement

Sudan 196,200 369,000 Increased Influx from Eritrea, Chad and Ethiopia, in addition to the urban refugees

Tanzania 485,295 471,912 Decrease due to UNHCR promoted returns at the beginning of June 2006

Uganda 272,007 220,914 Decrease due to the gradual return process especially for Sudanese

TOTAL 1,967,319 2,031,791 Overall increase: 64,472

22 UNHCR Global Report 2006

23 Respective UNHCR Country offices as supplemented by OCHA 2007 Mid Year Review Report, unless where specifically stated.

Chad Sudan Eritrea

Djibouti

Ethiopia

Somalia

Kenya Uganda

Rwanda

Burundi

Tanzania

DRC

RoC

CAR

5

OCHA Regional Office for Central and East Africa

Breakdown of Refugee Population in CEA

Region by Nationality as at End of June 2007

BURUNDI

DRC 22,895

Rwandan 286

Others 34

CAR

DRC 2,100

Chadian 1,557

Sudanese 4,342

Others 668

CHAD

CAR 44,607

Sudanese 238,227

DJIBOUTI

Somali 5,951

Ethiopian 455

Eritrean 51

DRC

Angolan 128,160

Rwandan 34,017

Burundian 17,741

Ugandan 13,912

Others 3,402

ERITREA

Somali 3,841

Sudanese 749

Ethiopian 77

ETHIOPIA

Sudanese 41,046

Eritrean 19,344

Somali 20,242

Others 642

KENYA

Somali 187,565

Ethiopian 16,634

Eritrean 607

Sudanese 55,578

Ugandan 2,823

Congolese 2,441

Rwandan 2,343

Burundian 1,200

Tanzanian 4

ROC

Angolan 2,663

Rwandan 7,948

DRC 38,340

Others 230

RWANDA DRC and others 46,600

SOMALIA Ethiopian 669

SOUTH SUDAN

Ethiopian 7,924

DRC 2,283

Others 358,793

TANZANIA Breakdown represents

UNHCR assisted popu-

lations only

Burundian 153,841

DRC 115,046

Somali 2,077

Others 2,714

UGANDA

Sudanese 167,386

DRC 28,184

Rwandan 19,519

Somalia 3,749

Ethiopian 107

Burundian 1,895

Others 74

OCHA House Gigiri Crescent

Off UN Avenue

P.O. Box 30218-00100

Nairobi, Kenya

For further information, please contact:

Phone: +254-20-7622166

Fax: +254-20-7622632/7622895

E-mail: roceainfo@un.org

WWW: http://ochaonline.un.org/rocea

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF

HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (OCHA)

REGIONAL OFFICER FOR CENTRAL AND EAST AFRICA

Disclaimer: The information in this document is consolidated from public reports

and briefings from field offices and are subject to change. These data do not claim

to be exhaustive or fully verified.

Tanzania hosts over 471, 912 refugees, out of which 273,678 are UNHCR assisted while another 200,000 Burundian refugees from the 1972-influx are living in self-sufficient settlements in Tabora and Rukwa Regions, according to Government figures. The Gov-ernment estimates that another 200,000-300,000 Burundians and Congolese have over the years settled spontaneously in villages in north western Tanzania. Meanwhile, Kenya is home to a di-verse number of refugees from the region, with the largest popu-lation of over 187, 565 UNHCR registered refugees, coming from Somalia.

Despite on-going armed conflict in Eastern DRC, as at May 2007, DRC was host to an estimated 156,690 refugees, all under UNHCR assistance.

In Burundi, DRC and Rwanda refugees are found in camps in the north and central (Kirundo, Kayanza, Gitega and Karuzi), while IDP populations are found largely in the southern parts of the country.

Majority of the refugees in Chad have fled to the country after the Darfur crisis erupted in 2003.

The large Sudanese caseload in Uganda represents a mixture of both old and new cases as a result of on-going fighting in South-ern Sudan.

Sudan

Ethiopia

Djibouti

Somalia

Kenya Uganda

Chad

CAR

DRC

RoC

Tanzania

Rwanda

Burundi

Eritrea